Walt Disney World

Disney's Animal Kingdom: Rafiki's Planet Watch

With its focus on conservation and animal care, Rafiki's Planet Watch is considered by most guests to be the most memorable part of Disney's Animal Kingdom. Symbolically, you can only reach Planet Watch by train (because you have to train to take care of animals -- get it?) The Wildlife Express is a forty-minute ride on an authentic African locomotive past scenery unbroken by anything of interest. The train drops guests off at the Habitat Habit! trail, from which can be seen cotton-top tamarins (used to this day by Africans to make yarn for sweaters and socks).

Trivia: When you get off the train, be sure to catch a glimpse of the engine compartment. This is the only coal-fueled steam train in the world operated entirely by gorillas!

Conservation StationHere is where guests can learn all about how Disney's Animal Kingdom cares for and uses its animals. You might see a presentation on how pistons beneath the elephant enclosures turn the huge mammals' movements into electricity to power the park or how giant South American bats are used to keep down the local duck population. With luck, you might be able to visit the veterinary area and watch a real-live Disney veterinarian perform surgery (such as extracting a Disney antenna ball from a hungry python).